Heel-stiffener machine



4 SheetS Sh-eet 1.

(No Model.)

N J SIMONDS HEEL STIFPENER MACHINE.

Patented No.4, 1894.

WITNESSES- (No Model.) 7 1 7' 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

N. J! SIMONDS. HEEL STIFFENER MACHINE.

No. 530,462. Patented Dec. 4, 1894.

\iiwimk- (No Model.) 4 Sheet s-Shet 3. N. J. SIMONDS.

HEEL STIFEENER MACHINE. E No. 53Q,462. I Patented Dec. 4, 1894! (NoModel.)

- I 4Sheets-Sheet 4. N. J. SIMON DS- HEEL STIFFENER MACHINE.

Patented Dec. 4, 1894.

mama J i Elf/K I/b d3 22 .4. B15 {M15 15 5555." mm X z Jam @@W, Mo/z/aw/ fl g wuwtm To aZZ whom, zit/ may concern:

counter stiffener-s for boots and shoes which same whichpress and moldthe counter over together with mechanism embracing dies or tion,-Figure1 is a front elevation.

of two uprights or side frames secured to:

NITED STATE PATENT Fries.

NATHAN J. SIMONDS, OF WOBURN, MASSACHUSETTS.

HEEL-STIFFEN ER MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 530,462, dated December4, 1894.

Application filed June 23, 18 92.

Be it known that I, NATHAN J SIMoNDs, a citizen of the United States,residing at Weburn,in the county of Middlesex and State ofMassachusetts,have invented certain new and useful Improvements inMachines for Forming Counter Stilfeners for Boots or Shoes, of whichthefollowing is a specifica' tion, reference being had therein to theaccompanying drawings.

My invention has for its object to provide a durable and efficientmachine for forming shall be economical and speedy in its operation andit consistsin a machine employing wheelor rotary form carrier upon whichthe forms or male molds, over and upon which the counters are molded orformed, are carried,

female molds and means for operating the the form, and devices forrubbingor pressing down the flanged portions of the counter, all saidmechanism co-operating to produce a full molded counter from a blank ofleather or leather board or similar material all as will be hereinaftermore fully set forth.

The novel features of my device are pointed out in the claims which areappended hereto and made a part hereof.

In the accompanying drawings in which I have shown my invention embodiedin the best form now known to me and to which reference will be made inthe following descrip- Fig. 2 is a side elevation and Fig. 3 is a planview. Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are respectively a plan, side and end view of thlever arm which carries the movable female dies. Figs. 7, 8 and 9 aredetails of the toggle arm which carries the heel finishing die. Figs. 10and 11 are respectively a plan and side view of the disk from whichthelever arm,shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6,is operated. a t

The machine and its operation will be readily understood from thefollowing description.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts throughout the drawings.

The main shaft is shown at A andis mounted in a suitable upright frameB, which consists Serial No. 437,760. (No model.)

gether by suitable cross pieces. The precise shape of the frame isunimportant.

The form of the frame employed by me will be clearly seen from thedrawingsand particularly from the side elevation shown in Fi 2. Onthemain shaft A is mounted a belt pulley O. A friction wheel or disk D,which is adapted to co-operate with the pulley O, is operated by meansof a shipper lever E and suitable intermediate mechanism, all of Wellknown construction, so that the operator by moving the shipper lever maystop and start the machine. At the other end of the main shaft is abalance wheel F, and said shaft also carries a pinion a which is in meshwith a gear b which is fast on the short shaft 0 which is journaled inthe uprightsB. Said shaftc is provided with a pinion a which meshes saidshaft is mounted on the rotary form carrier d or large wheel whichcarries the forms e upon which the counters, as the counter stiffenersare usually termed, are formed or molded. Therotary form carrier may beprovided with more than two forms, but Iprefer to use two, as shown.

The sole of the human heel curves from the shank to the rear portion ofthe heel and it is desirable that the periphery of the form carriershould coincide substantially with this curve, in order that the flangesof the counter may be rubbed and set on this curve thus permitting thebottom of the counter to fit the last and the foot more accurately thanit otherwise would. This consideration will determine toa considerableextent the diameter of the form carrier d. The two forms 6 which Iemploy are set opposite each other on said form-carrieras indicated bydotted lines Fig.

and a counter blank a which is fed into position by mechanism which willhereinafter be described, comes in contact with the form and is carriedupwardly between the rolls a which bend its ends around the form and itis then carried between the dies or female molds f. The concavity ofeach of said dies f is adapted to fit one side or one half of the form 8and said dies f are mounted as hereinafter described so that they mayapproach or recede' from the form 6. The lever arms h which carry thedies f are each mounted as shown more clearly in the details Figs. Land5, said arms being pivoted or journaled on the shaft 0 of theform-carrier, so that they may be reciprocated in a plane parallel withthe plane of revolution of the form carrier.

The arm it must move with the form-car rier cl while the female diesfare in contact with the counter blank on the form e in order that theblank may be pressed and molded by the said dies. After the dies havedone their work they are withdrawn from contact with the counter, andthe arm h then moves in the opposite direction back to its normalposition to be in readiness for the succeeding form and counter blank.For the purpose of moving arms h the yoke-shaped levers b are providedwhich are pivoted on the journals or bosses of the arms h as shown inFigs. 4 and 5 so that they may be rocked toward and from the arms h. Atthe upper end of each of the. levers b is pivoted a sliding arm orprojection c which as the lever 19 is rocked slides inwardly andoutwardly in a transverse slot in the lever h. When the lever Z9 is inits normal position shown in Fig. 4 the inner end of the slidingprojection c is in the path ofthe projection g, see Fig. 2, which is onthe side of the rotary form-carrier d. As the form-carrier rotates theprojection 9 will come in contact with the inner end of the slidingprojection c and the lever arm It will be caused to move with theform-carrier. When the lever arm it has reached the end of its movementthe block (1 at the opposite end of the lever b comes in contact with acamshaped projection 6 on the inside of the frame which forces the lowerend of the lever b inwardly thus withdrawing the projection or arm 0from contact with the stop g and at the same time withdrawing the die f,the arm 12 coming in contact with the stop al for this purpose. The armhis then free to be moved back again to its normal position. The arm bis moved in the opposite direction by means of the spring 10 For thepurpose of moving the arm h in the reverse direction, that is, back toits normal position I providea connecting piece e which is pivoted atone end as shown in Fig. 2 to the rear of the arm h and which projectsrearwardly to the diskf shown in Figs. 10 and 11. The rear end of thearm a is provided with a projecting plate g see Fig. 2 which rests onthe periphery of the disk f and the rear end of said arm is notched orprovided with, a shoulder as shown at h Fig. 2. A pin or studj which isset on the face of the disk f engages the shoulder h when the arm 'e isin its rearward position and as the disk f revolves forces the arm aforward until the said pinj clears said shoulder. h isreturned to itsnormal position. While By this means the arm the pin 7' is out ofcontact with the shoulder h the arm is free to be moved rearwardly aswill be clear. A diskf" and arm (2 are provided for each of said arms h.For the purpose of molding the blank on the form e the diesf must beforced inwardly against the blank on the form. To permit of this,,dies fare mounted on holders land a T-shaped projection shown at 10 Fig. 5which slides in a corresponding T-shaped groove or slot in the upper endof the arm h. The die holders may therefore slide towardor from therotary form carrier.

In order to permitthe dies f to be readily taken out of the machine whenfor any reason that is desirable they are provided with similar T-shapedprojections which are received in vertical slots in the die holders Z asshown in Fig. 6. The die holders Z are provided with rolls it which asthe arms h move engage the cam blocks j, see Fig. 1, which are securedto the frame of the machine and which operate to force the die holdersand dies inwardly against the counter blanks on the form. As the form 6and diesf continue their move ment the rolls k traverse thesubstantially fiat side of the cam blocksj thus continuing the pressureof the dies f on the counter blank for a sufficient time to thoroughlymold and set the fibers of the material in shape.

When a counter blank is clamped securely between the form 6 and the diesf, the edge thereof which is to form the flange in the finished counterprojects upwardly above said dies and form. For the purpose of turningthis flange over and ironing and rubbing it down so as to set itthoroughly in place, I have provided the jaws p which are pivoted to theunder side of the cross piece g which extends between the uprights B.The jaws p are so set that as the diesf and form 6 pass under them theywill come in contact with the projecting edge of the counter blank andpress it down over the sole or bottom of the form 6. As the flange ofthe counter is to project inwardly toward the center of the form e Ideem it desirable that the jaws 19 should move inwardly toward thecenter of said form as the form passes uhder them. To this end I providerolls? on the die holdersl which as the dies reach a given point intheir movement come in contact with the beveled ends 8 of said jaws pthus forcing the jaws inwardly and causing the flange to be wiped andrubbed down in an even and regular manner. The further onward movementof the form 6 forces the counter under the flange rubbing piece t whichextends rearwardly and which is curved to correspond with the path ofmovement of the form on the rotary formcarrier of and thus the counterflange is thoroughly rubbed and set in position on the bottom of theform 6 forming an even and smooth heel seat. The flange rubber t ispreferably mounted as shown in Fig. 2, it being bolted to a cross pieceextending between the upright or side frames B, and being provided witha backing 29 composed of one or more strips of rubber or similaryielding material to allow the flange rubbing device to accommodateitself slightly to material of different thick nesses. The jaws p arereturned to their open position bymeans of a spring 1/. or in any otherwell-known manner.

While I deem it desirable to employ the pivoted jaws p, a solid piece ofmetal having a U shaped notch corresponding somewhat to the openingbetween the jaws 19 as shown in Fig. 1 may be employed. Such a shapedpiece of metal is old and well known for this purpose and is employed inmany forms of counter molding machines now in use. The dies f are infact two halves of a split die, and after the counter has, beensubjected to their operation it may have a slight Iridge. or projectionup and down the backof the heel caused by the material bulging into theopening or joint between the two diesf. When a split die is used thisridge or projection will be more or less apparent, and in some classesof counters it is objectionable. To obliterate this ridge or projectionand produce a counter with a smooth back I subject the counter Whileitis on the form e and afterit has left the diesf to the action of anotherdie which acts upon the counter around the back of the heel only. I havealso found it desirable in mak-- ing a counter to subject the back ofthe heel or heel portions thereof to a strong molding pressure after thesides have been molded, not only for the purpose of obliterating theridge which I have referred to, and making a smooth back, but alsobecause such a pressin dotted lines Fig. 2.

ure sets the counter to shape and produces a better counter and one thatwill keep its shape better. tra molding operation at the back of theheel when it is desired to do so, I have provided a heeldie shown at ZFig. 2, which is adapted to fit the heel portions of the form e andwhich is broughtinto contact therewith, or the counter thereon, afterthe side dies f have been released and after the counter has beencarried under the flange rubbing piece.

die to yield slightly under pressure as also to accommodate itself tothe form. The die holder a is formed on one end of the toggle arm 0 andthe upper end of the toggle arm is set on a rock shaft (1 see Figs. .1and 2, which is journaled in the upper part of the frame B. about midwayof the vertical lever g shown The lever g is secu red to a rock shaft72.. journaled in the top of the frame and at thelower end carries across In order to give the counter this ex-.

The lower toggle arm f is pivoted Fi 2 which en ages cams 10 of the shae .7 s a s P shown by dotted lines Fig. 2. The cams k are cut in theproximate faces of the Wheels m which are mounted on theshaft Z As thecam wheels revolve the lower end of the 1ever"g is' moved toward and.from the formcarrier d. As said lever g moves from the position in whichit is shown Fig. 2 toward the form carrier, that is toward the left insaid figure the heelmold Z will be moved forward and directly into thepath of the form 6 so that after the form passes the flange rubbingpiece t, the backof thecounter thereon will be pressed into the saidheel mold Z and the mold will exert a strong pressure upon the back ofthe counter. on the form, obliterating any ridge which may be left bythe dies fand further forming and setting the counten to shape. Themovements of the mechanismwhich operatesthe heel die Z are so timed thatas soon as the said die has exerted a strong pressure on the counter onthe forms the cams kit will be in a position to allow the trucksj on thelever g tobe moved back.-

Wardly along the cam path so. that the onward movement of the form 6will operate to push the. heel die Z back out of the path of the saidform. n Fig. 2, is a heavy rod which serves as a brace or cross piecebetween. the frame uprights and which is circular in cross section asindicated by full and dotted lines Fig. 2.

For the .purpose of removing the counters should theynot readily dropoff the form, any well known device may be employed. A counter removingdevice is not however, essential, as the operator may readily remove thecounters from the form as it comes into position to engage with the nextblank. The shaft Z which carries the cam wheels m and the disks f areprovided with a gearp which is in mesh with the large gear I) which isdriven from the pinion a on the shaft 0, the

shaft 0 being driven by means of the gear I) usual manner of feedingsimilar machines,

the operator sitting in front of themachine, picking up a flat blank,bending it into the proper shape with his fingers and holding it on theform 6 until it has been seized by the dies f.

The automatic feeding mechanism which I have provided is arranged asfollows:--'lhe flat blanks are placed one on top of the other in a boxor receiver shown at a which is of the proper size to receive them.Thebottom of thisbox is slotted so that only one blank at a time can beslid out of it, the arrangement being substantially the same as is em;ployed in card cases and the like which permit of one card beingwithdrawn at a time. For the purpose of withdrawing or sliding out thebottom blank of the pile in the box a an arm I), which is provided atits free end with a flexible or spring finger 0 is mounted on a rockshaft 01 which is journaled 'on the side of the frame. At the rear endof the rock shaft (1 is an arm a which engages a cam f cut in theperiphery of a wheel which is mounted on the end of the shaft 0. As theshaft 0' revolves the rock shaft (1 will be moved, causing the flexiblefinger to engage with and move the bottom blank in the box or receiver aforward between the-feed rolls The blank is then carried forward by thefeed rolls which feed it forward onto a support or table 77, on thefront of the machine. It is now in proper position with reference to theform 6 but is in front of the path of the form and requires to be movedtoward the form carrier into the path of the form. For the purpose ofaccomplishing this, the table h is slotted transversely at two points aswith a roll n which is in the path of the cam shaped block 12 which issecured on the face of the gear b. As the gear revolves the block 19engages the roll a on the arm m throwing the arms k rearwardly, andslidingthe counter blank a into the path of the form e where it is heldupon suitable projections. As soon as the gear I) has moved a givendistance the cam-block p clears the roll a and allows the arm "in todrop back thus returning the arms 7& to their normal position inreadiness to move forward the succeeding blank. By providing asufficient number of cam blocks 19 and placing them in proper positionson the face of the gear I) the feeding arms 10 may be operated asfrequently as desired. The feed rolls 9 are operated by means of a trainof gears 01, 11 c and d Figs. 1 and 2 from 'the shaft 0 which isprovided at its rear end with a beveled gear d which is in mesh with thebeveled gear f mounted on the shaft 0.

On the shaft of the pinion a is mounted a rollf which is in frictionalcontact with the roll 9 which is in turn in frictional contact with therolls h which drive by frictional contact the lower feed rolls 9 as willbe clear from Fig. l.

The roll f is driven at a relatively high rate of speed and operates toburnish the counter blank as it passes through the feed rolls in beingfed forward onto the table or support h. This feature may or may not beemployed but I consider it of importance.

What I claim is 1. A counter-stiffener machine having a form-carrier,means for giving to said formcarrier a regular movement of rotation in agiven direction, two or more forms carried by said form-carrier, femaledies co-operating with said forms and partaking of the rotary movementthereof, and means for compressing said dies against the said formsacting while said form-carrier rotates to compress said dies and holdthem closed against a form during a portion of the rotation of theformcarrier while such form is traveling by the compressing devices andthe next form is approaching the feeding point, substantially asdescribed.

2. A counter-stiffener machine having a form-carrier, means for givingto said formcarrier a regular movement of rotation in a given direction,two or more forms carried by said form carrier, female dies co-operatingwith said forms and partaking of the rotary movement thereof, means forcausing said dies to move in a path parallel with the path of movementof the forms, and means for compressing said dies against the said formsacting while said form carrier rotates to compress said dies, and holdthem closed against a form during a portion of the rotation of theform-carrier, whereby the said dies may operate to engage the counter ona form and hold it compressed upon the latter during the said portion ofthe rotation of the form-carrier, while the next form is approaching thefeeding point, substantially as described.

3. A counter-stiffener machine having a form-carrier, means for rotatingthe same, two or more forms carried by said form-carrier, female diesco-operating with said forms to mold the sides of the counter, means forcompressing said side dies against the said forms and holding themclosed thereagainst during a portion of the rotation of the formcarrier,a heelmolding female die to engage the back or heel-portion of thecounter, and means for compressing the said back or heelportion betweena form and the heel-die, as the form-carrier continues to rotate,substantially as described.

4:. A counter-stiffener machineQhaving a form-carrier, means for givingto said form carrier a regular movement of rotation in a givendirection, two or more forms carried by said form-carrier, female diespartaking of the rotary movement of said forms, and means for causingthem to co-operate with said forms to mold a counter thereon as theform-carrier rotates, said means acting while the form-carrier rotatesto compress the said dies against the said forms successively and holdthem closed against a form during a portion of the rotation of theform-carrier while such form is traveling by the compressing devices andthe next form is approaching the feeding point, and a flange-turning andrubbing device which turns and sets the flange of the counter on eachform in turn during the rotation of the form-carrier, substantially asdescribed.

5. A counter-stiffener machine having a form-carrier, means for givingto said formcarrier a regular movement of rotation in a given direction,two or more forms carried by said form-carrier, female dies partaking ofthe closed against a form during a portion of the rotation of theform-carrier while such form is traveling by the compressing devices andthe next form is approaching the feeding point, and flange-turning jawsadjacent to the path of movement of the forms and whereby the flange ofthe counter on each form in turn is turned during the rotation of theform-carrier, substantially as described.

6. In a counter stiffener machine, the combination with the rotaryform-carrier provided with two or more forms 6 of the diesf, the pivotedarms h, upon which said dies f are mounted and means for reciprocatingsaid arms h whereby said arms may be made to travel with the formcarrier while the dies f are in engagement with the counter and may thenbe returned to their normal position in readiness for the succeedingform, substantially as set forth.

7. In a counter stiffener machine, the combination with the rotary formcarrier d of the form e mounted thereon, the diesf, die-holders Z, armsIt, said die-holders being arranged to slide in said arms toward andfrom the form on the form carrier, and the cams j for positively movingsaid die-holders and dies into engagement with the counter blank on theform, substantially as set forth.

8. In a counter stiifener machine, the combination with the rotary formcarrier d and the form e mounted thereon of the dies f adapted toapproach and recede from said forms e, mechanism for actuating said diesf, the heel die Z and the cam-actuated togglemechanism for operatingsaid heel die, substantially as set forth.

9. In a counter stiffener machine, the combination with a rotaryform-carrier, having two or more forms mounted thereon, of the heel moldZ and its toggle-actuating arms, and the lever g and its actuating cams,substantially as set forth. i

10. In acounter-stiflener machine, the combination with the form carrierd, and forms e mounted thereon,of the dies f, the lever arms h, thelever b projections c pivoted to said lever b and projections g on theform carrier, substantially as set forth.

.11. In a counter-stiffener machine having a rotary form-carrierprovided with two or more forms upon which the counters are molded, thecombination therewith of the dies f, the lever arms h which support saiddies, their actuating levers e and the disks 1 each having a pin orprojection which engages a lever e to actuate the same, substantially asset forth.

12. In a counter-stiffener machine having a rotary form carrier providedwith two or more forms mounted thereon and havingcooperating dies tomold the counters over and upon said forms, the combination therewith ofthe speeded roll f for burnishing the counter blanks before they aresubjected to the action of the dies, substantially as set forth.

13. In a counter-stiffener machine having a rotary form carrier a formmounted thereon, the combination therewith of feed mechanism, wherebythe counter blanks are fed one at a time, to a position in front of theline of movement of the form, and transferring mechanism whereby saidblanks are moved forward from said position into the path of the form,substantially as set forth.

14:. In a counter-stiffener machine having a rotary form carrier, thecombination therewith of a receptacle for-holding the counter blanks,mechanism for transferring the blan ks from the receptacle singly to thefeed rolls,

feed rolls for feeding said blanks to a suit-- able support in line withand in front of form and transferring mechanism for moving said blanksforward into the path of the forms, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

NATHAN J. SIMONDS. Witnesses:

WM. A. MACLEOD, ROBERT WALLACE.

